One Shell to Rule them All
I’ve been doing a lot of python work lately, as part of several projects,
websites and writing pieces. As a result I’ve had to get my act together as far
as working efficiently with python is concerned.
In this article I’ll be discussing one of my primary components of my toolbox,
IPython. IPython is an interactive python shell,
an enhancement for the generic python interpreter. IPython incorporates a wide
variety of simple additions which make the interpreter much easier to work with,
but do not warrant being added into the core distribution.
I’m not going to list out and explain IPython’s every capability, that’s a job
for their documentation. My contribution is a small selection of features to
whet any python user’s appetite, and to show them a whole new way of working
with python.
Documentation at its lousiest.
The 256 color capabilities of color terminals must be one of the least
documented features I have ever had the misfortune of digging through. Sure,
there are many programs: vim, mutt, etc. which can take advantage of the extended
palette, but how do I use it? ANSI color codes are hard enough to understand
for an 8 coior system, for 256 colors, it’s a nightmare!
Anyway, after hours of poring over non-existent manuals stretching back to the
time when color meant ink, and trying the same keywords in google again and
again albeit in different orders, I think I’ve finally cracked the code. Here,
I’ll be giving a run down of what a 256 color escape sequence looks like, and
what you can do with them.
…and having one hell of a time.
It isn’t that hard to notice that I haven’t posted anything recently. There’s
a reason for that: I am now an ArchLinux user!
Now that I’ve shifted full time, I’m back up and running, and have lots to post about.
